Process and apparatus for the continuous treatment of natural-gas gasolines



Feb. 23 1926.

G, G. OBERFELL Er AL P1100355 AND APPARATUS FOR THE CONTINUOUS TREATMENTOF NATURAL GAS GASOLINES Filed April 22, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 we: m j

Feb. 23 1926.

G. G. OBERFELL ET AL APPARATUS roa' THE com-muons TREATMENT OF NATURALms msounns PROCESS AND Filed April 22. 1921 2 Sheets-Shoat 2 raggaareb.2 1926.

- UNITED STATES PATENT F GEORGE GROVER OBEREELL,

UTSINGEB, AND 'WILLIAM R.

ALBERT M. DALLARD, LENT Z, O1? TULSA, 0

nroman cnnnnn', nnwann n. nanomaassreuoas r0 canar- NUT AND SMITHCORPORATION, OF TULSA, OKLAHOMA, A CORPORATION 01! OKLA- HOMA.

PROCESS AND APPARATUS EOR THE CONTINUOUS TREATMENT OF NATURAL-GAS IGASOLINES.

Application filed April 22, 1821.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that .we, Gnonor. G. OBERFELL, ALBERT M. BALLARD, RICHARD C.ALDEN, Eo- WARD L. Ursmonn, and WILLIAM R. LENTZ,

6 citizens of the United States,:'residing at Tulsa, in the county ofTulsa and State of v Oklahoma, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Processes and Aparatus for the Continuous Treatment of10 atural-Gas Gasolines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in the treatment of petroleumproducts and while especially applicable to a continuous treatment ofnatural gas gasoline it may be applied in other connections if desiredwithout departing from the spirit of our in vention.

Petroleum products such as kerosene,

naphtha, straight run gasoline and benzine require treatmentto removecertain types of decomposable sulphur compounds e fore those productswill pass what is known as the doctor test (see. U. S. Bu-

reau of Mines Technical Paper No. 214 pp.

It is the common practice for refineries to treat the etroleum productsby a batch process in w ich the chemicals for treatment and the productto-be treated are placed in a tank and agitated until the product isfree from decomposable sulphur compounds as shown by means of theaforementioned doctor test.

Natural gas gasoline obtained by condensation or absorption processes,-.or by combination of said rooesses have not heretofore to ourknowledge been successfully treated owing to the lack of a satisfacto 40continuous process for treating such acts, and dueto ing treatment.

Our invention therefore contemplates im-' rovements in the process oftreatingfpetroeum products, and employs the use 0 sodium hydroxide aloneor in conjunction with litharge and sulphur as will be hereinafter "morefully explalned.

Among the objects of our invention are to provide an improved methodandapparatus for the continuous treatment 79f net J m the lossesencountere dur- Serial No. 468,589.

ural gas gasoline to remove the suspended solid particles therefrom,further to treat natural gas gasoline with sodium hydroxide either aloneor in conjunctionwith litharge and sulphur; further to' rovide acontinuous process in which t e material being treated may be runthrough the system a second time if desired; further to provide a novelarrangement of sulphur tower and other tanks; further to provide meansto permit part of the incomin natural gas gasoline to be assed arountower if desire further to raise the temperature of the cool incomingvgasoline by improve generally in process and apparatus for treatingnatural gas gasoline in a more simple economical and eflicacious manner;and such further objects, advantages and capabilities as will later morefully appear.

Our invention further. resides in the combination, construction andarrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawmgs and whilewe have shown therein a preferred embodiment, we desire the same to beunderstood as illustrative only and not as limitin the scope of ourinvention.

In the rawin K Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view showing .the arrangement ofthe sulphur tower an 4 varioustanks and other parts in our im proved aparatus and showing the various steps an combinations that may beempkiyed in reducin our process to practice.

ig. 2 is an enla I tank parts being shown in section for the sake ofclearness. y

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the'line 3---3 of Fig. 2and looking in thedirection of the arrows.

4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

the sulphur.

the warmer out-going gasoline; further to rged view of our filter F g. 5is a sectional view showing the interior arrangement of one form ofsulphur tower that we ma use in carrying out our process. 7 l e Fig. 6is a' longitudinal vertical section throu h the treatin tank.

Rei rrin to the rawings and more particularly F1 1 it will be seen thatthe a'so- Iine enters t roulgh line 1. and may be either passed throught e sulphur tower, or around the same, or arts thereof each way asdesired by suita le manipulation of the valves valve 4, while theremainder of the gasoline y t rough a passes through the valve 5 throu hmeter 6 and through the sul hur tower and then through the check v ve 8.The meters 3 and 6 serve the purpose of determining the relati'veamounts of gasoline passing through and around the sulphur tower 7.

This affords a means of regulating the amount of sulphur that isadmitted to the treating tanks. If too much sulphur is admitted thegasoline will be of inferior quality as evidenced by the corrosion andummin test (see U. S. Bureau of Mines echnica Paper No. 214) and byother tests.

The rcentage of gasoline to be assed throu h the sulphur tower willdepend upon severa factors such as kind of sulphur used, construction ofsulphur tower, temperature, and nature of the asoline to be treated.This percentage can e determined by means of pro er tests on the treatedgasoline. For all ordinary practical conditions this percentage will bebetween 1 and Any of the well known types of meters for measuring liquidvolumes may be used for maintaining the relative amounts of gasolinewhich it is desired to pass through and around the sulphur tower. Afterpassing the sulphur tower the incoming gasoline which is fre uently of avery low temperature passes heat interchanger 9 in which the coolincoming gasoline chills the warm outing gasoline within the coils 10and therey'reduees the losses incident to treatment. The sulphur tower7, one form of which is shown in detail in Fig. 5, consists of adevieein which the elementary sul bar 11 is brought into intimate contact wita. ortion of the ineomin asoline, which therdliy dissolves some 0 t esulphur prior to treatment.

In refinery practice the excess of elementm sulphur which isintroduced-i0 the petroleum roduct is eliminated by distilling that prouct. Obviously it is not advisable to treat natural gas asolines by sucha method owing to the osses encountered in diet the very volatilenatural gas gasoline an to, the extra cost of distilling the gasoline.We prefer to use what is known as roll sulphur or brnnstone 1n thesulphur tower, since more eflicient contact may be obtained between thesulphur and the gasoline, and at the same time cause less resistance tothe -flow of gasoline, and diminish the chances for mechanicallycarrying over the elementary sulphur into the treating. tank. Flowers ofsulphur may be used. In-

such case, a filtering column of cotton, cloth,

such sulphur that is dissolved losses are material! inc felt or somematerial should be placed in the tower above the sulphur since it isdesired toadmit to the treatin tanks only y the soline and to preventany of the su phur rom being carried over mechanically. We have alsosatisfactorily used flowers of sulphur placed in thin cloth bags andsuspended in the sulphur tower. These methods of introducing sul besuccess ully used in treating pertoleum p rl'loducts obtainable byrefinery practice.

e chief advantage in such cases would consist in reducing the timenecessary for agitation, with the result that the losses in refinerypractice would be diminished.

After passin the heat exchanger v9 the gasoline asses t rough the valve12, through the chec valve 13, valve 14 and is then caused to pass upthrough the caustic lum bite solution containing an excess of lit argewithin the first treating tank 15.

The treating tank contains closed steam coils 16 for warming theplumbite solution to the desired temperature necessar for treatment ofthe asoline. If desire any other convenient uid may be used instead ofsteam for heating purposes, as for example hot gas, warm water, warmoil, etc. The temperature to be carried in the plumbite solution dependsu on the nature of the product to be 'treate and the construction andnumber of treating tanks. We prefer to use as low a temperature aspossible, so that the temperature of treated gasoline will not be verymuch higher than t at of the untreated incoming gasoline and therebyreduce losses during treatment. We have found that when the temperatureof the plumbite solution falls appreciably lower than 40 F. that withtwo treating tanks in series the average natural gas gasohne begins toshow evidences of not being properl treated. We have also found thatwhen &e tem erature of the plumbite solution is raised a ove 100 F. thatthe same arrangement does not appreciably increase the eflieiency oftreatment and that unlessspecial precautionseare an to increase sure onthe treating eni and tocoo outgoing treated gasohne.

After passing tank 15, the gasoline passes throu h the valve 17 in pi18, through the chec valve 19, through t e valve 20 and then bubbles upthro h the plumbite solution in the second treating tank 21, which isconstructed similar to the first sketchshows the useoftwo treating tanksso arranged that they may be used; in series or parallel. It is evidentthat more tanks may be used if desired, and that a similar arrangementcan be made if so desired. The number of contacts necessary to properlytreat the gasoline will depend primarily uphur to the treating tanks canalso 0 the through the first treating" treating tank. The

tion ofthe treating tanks, temperature, and

stren h of. the pl-ilmbiters'olution. We-have form it veryrconvenient toass the gasoline through the system a secon time if the firsttreatmentdoes not properly treat the gasoline. In lsuchcase all ofthe'gasoiine is passed =around the sulphur tower for thesecondtreatment.-

After assingthrough the secondtank'ill, the gaso ine passes through 'thevalve- 22 .in pipe 23, through the settling tank 24, and then througheither the valve V" or V andthen through one of the filtertanks 25.

.The settling tank 24, serves the-purpose of preventing the ,pluinbitesolution from being carried over with the gasoline into the filter orinto the lace of storage of the gasoline. The react on occurring duringtreatment of gasoline results in a scum which hasa tendency tofloat-on-the-plumbite solution. Part ofthis is 'carr-iedalong withthe'gasoline. The settling tank thereforealsoserves as. anadditionalreservoir for separation of the scum and the gasoline.

The remainder of the material carried along with thegasolineis removedby the' filter as described below. The bottom of the set tling tankisconnected to a drain 26 or to the mixing tanks through pipe 27', fordisposal of the lumbite solution carried over with the gasoline, as willbe explained later.

The filter as shown in detail in. Fig. 2 consists of a metal receptaclecontaining a filler 28, of cotton, cloth, wool, felt, asbestos, steelwool, glass wool or. similar material which removes .the solid materialcarried over mechanically with the gasoline which willsettle from thegasoline upon standing and introduces little difiiculty in filtering.

Fig. l-shows two filters in parallel so ar-.

ranged that one of the filters may be opened up and cleaned while theother is in operation, thus rendering it unnecessary to shut down forrepair of filter, or changeof the filtering medium. After leaying thefilter, the gasoline is passed through the'heat interchan er 9, and thenthrough .pipe line 29.

If it is deemed unnecessary to pass the treated gasoline through thesettling tank or through the filter it may be passed directly throughthe heat interchangers by the way of pipes 30, and 31.

The two mixing tanks 32. and 33 shown direct y ,to the cars attheloading track or sent to a storagc'tank or disposed of otherwise ifdesired.

within wide limits. We have successfully used solutions varying instrength from to 4 lbs. per' gallon.

An excess ofi-litharge is added so that a liberal amount of litharge iscarried in sus pension when the lur'n bite solution is pumped into thetreating tanks.

The circulatingpump- 35 r and its connect- .in pipes are'so arrangedthat the plumbite so ution can' be pumped from one mixing tank to theother or from either of the mixing tanks to the treatin tanks or viceversa.

This arrangement 0 a paratus is shown as treating. gasoline. un erpressure since pressure will aid-in reducing the losses incident totreating. We prefer to treat the gasolinea't about 30 pounds gaugepressure, although higher or lower pressures may be used if desired. Thepressure is maintained by means of a weighted valve 36 on the outgoinggasoline line 29,v leading from the heat interchangen;

The mixing tanks are also used. as a medium for the purpose of removingthe scum formed by treating the. gasoline. In such case the plumbitesolution is blown into the mixing tank, allowed to settle and the scumskimmedfrom the surface of the plumbite solution.

i The water necessary for making the plumbite solution is passed intothe mixin tanks, through the valves 37 and 38 or 3? and 39. v

Referring again to thefireating tanks it will be seen, thatv these tanksare each also equips-e111 witlran outlet gasoline pi e 40 exten g .downinto thetreating tan to just above the plumbite solution. By opening thevalves 41 and 42 gas pressure is placed in the treating tanks, andpractically all the gasoline remaining in the treatin tanks may be blowntherefrom by way 0 valves 43, 44, 45 and 46. This precedure is necessaryat end of treatment of a quan tity 'of gasoline, if it is desiredalternately to treat asoline' of different ades and .-prevent tiequality of one gra e of gasoline from bein affected by the propertiesofthe ade 0 gasoline previously-treated.

We avediscovered that a sodium Thydro xide solution alone may be usedfor treatment of raw casing llBflCl gasoline.

The. solution, however, readily becomes co 1- taminated'with substancesremoved horn the gasoline thus rendering the caustic solution unfit forfurther use until it is rcgenerated by addition of litharge and sulphuras explained in the description above. If the spent caustic solution isnot regenerated by the process described above, the cost of treatmentwill be considerably greater. Having now described our invention, weclaim:- 1. The process of treating natural gas gasoline which consistsin dissolving therein a quantity of elementary sulphur, and thencontainin sodium hydroxide, means for to passing t e gasoline through asolution of sodium hydroxide 7 without distilling the gasoline. i

2. The process of treating natural gas gasoline w ich consists indissolving therein aquantity of sulphur, and then passing the gasolinethrough a solution of sodium hyroxide containing lithar c.

3. The method of treating relatively cool gasoline which consistsill-dissolving sulphur therein, passing the gasoline through a solutionof sodium hydroxide and litharge, and passing the gasoline into heatexchangi relation with the incoming, relatively coo asoline prior totreatment with the sodium iydroxidewhereby said relatively hot, treatedgasoline is cooled and said incoming flelatg'ely cool gasoline issubstantially eat causing t e gasoline to pass through said sodiumhydroxide, and a heat interchanger between said tower and said tank.

7. An apparatus for treating natural gas gasoline consistin in means forpassing gasoline through s iunt passages, means for determining the flowthrough each passage, means for dissolving sulphur in the gasolinepassing through one of the shunt assages, and means for regulating theow througl; each of the shunt passages.

8. apparatus com using a source of gasoline, a discharge t erefor, meansfor passing the gasoline through shunt passages on its flow from thesource to its discharge, means for dissolving sulphur in the gasolinepassing through one of the shunt passa es, means for controlling the Howof gaso ine through the passages, means for treating 4. That step in theprocess of treating the gasoline with sodium hydroxide without naturalgas gasoline which consists .in dissolving sulphur therein and thenpassing it through a warmed plumbite solution under pressure. 1

5. An apparatus of the class described comprising a source of gasolineto be treatinterrupting its flow from the sulphur treating means to thedischarge.

9. An apparatus fortreating natural gas gasoline, consisting1 in asource of natural gas gasoline, a disc arge therefor, means for passingthe gasoline through shunt passa es,

ed, a sulphu1:tower aby-passvfor said'tower means for dissolving sulphurin the gaso ine means for passin source through said tower or throughsaid bly-pass, means for measuring the flow t rough said tower andby-pass, a tank containing sodium hydroxide, means connecting the outletof said tower and said by-pass with said tank. 7

6. Apparatus of the class described comprising a sulphur tower, meansfor selectively assing incoming gasoline through or around the tower asdesired, a treating tank the gasoline from said" passing through one atthe shunt assa means for. controlling the gasoline ow through eachpassage, means for passing the gasoline throu h heated sodium hydroxide.In witness w ereof, we hereunto subscribe our names to thisspecification.

GEORGE GROVER OBERFELL. ALBERT M BALLARD. RICHARD C. ALDEN. EDWARD L.UTSINGER. WILLIAM R. LEN TZ.

a quantiti of elementary sulphur, and then passing t e gasoline througha solution of sodium hydroxide without distilling the gasoline.

2. The rocess of treating natural gas gasoline w ich consists indissolving therein aquantity of sulphur, and then passing the gasolinethrough a solution of sodium hyroxide containing litharge.

3. The method of treating relatively cool gasoline which consists indissolving sulphur therein, passing the gasoline through a solution ofsodium hydroxide and litharge, and passing the gasoline into heatexchanging relation with the incoming, relatively coo asoline rior totreatment with the sodium iydroxi e whereby said relatively hot,

treated lgasoline is cooled and said incoming flags y cool gasoline issubstantially eat 4. That step in the process of treating natural gasgasoline which consists in dissolvin sulphur therein andthen passing itthrong a warmed plumbite solution under pressure. I

5. An apparatus of the class described comprising a source of gasolineto be treated, asulphui: tower, a. by-pass for said'tower, the gasolinefrom said" containin sodium hydroxide, means for causing t e gasoline topass through said sodium hydroxide, and a heat interchanger between saidtower and said tank.

7. An apparatus for treating natural gas gasoline consistin in means forpassing gasoline through s iunt passages, means for determining the flowthrough each passage, means for dissolving sulphur in the gasolinepassing through one of the shunt assages, and means for regulating theow throu h each of the shunt passages.

8. n apparatus com using a source of gasoline, a discharge t erefor,means for passing the asoline through shunt passages on its flow rom thesource to its discharge, means for dissolving sulphur in the gasolinepassing through one of the shunt passa es, means for controlling theflow of gaso me through the passages, means for treating the gasolinewith sodium hydroxide without interrupting its flow from the sulphurtreating means to the discharge.

9. An apparatus fortreating natural gas gasoline, consistin in a sourceof natural gas gasoline, a disc arge therefor, means for passing thegasoline through shunt passa s, means for dissolving sulphur in the gasoine passing through one a? the shunt passa s, means for. controlling thegasoline ow through each passage, means for assing the gasoline throuhheated sodium ydroxide. In witness w ereof, we hereunto subscribe ournames to this specification.

GEORGE GROVER OBERFELL. ALBERT M. BALLARD. RICHARD C. ALDEN. EDWARD L.UTSINGER. WILLIAM R. LENTZ.

Certificate of Correction.

it-is-her eb that in Patent No. 1,574,607,!g'rmted Februa 1926,11pon t ea 'plication of George Grover Oberfell, Al ll 0. Alden, Edwa improvementin P Natural-Gas Gasolines 2a M. Ballard, Ric and L. Utsinger, andWilliam R. Lents, ofTulsa, Oklahoma, for an and Apparatus for theContinuous Treatment of an error appears in the printed specificationrequiring correction as follows: Page 4, line 43, claim 6 after the wordtank and before "the insert a comma and the words t mu h which thegasoiim sea in from the tower to the tank; and that the said LettersPatent shoul be read with correction the Patent Oflice.

therein that the samemay conform to the record of the case in.

WMA. KINNAN, Acting (Jammiuimwrpf Patents.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,574,507, grantedFebruary 23,

1926, upon the application of George Grover Oberfell, Albert M. Ballard,Richard C. Alden, Edward L., Utsinger, and William R. Lentz, of'Iulsa,Oklahoma, for an improvement in Processes and Apparatus for theContinuous Treatment of Natural-Gas Gasolines an error appears in theprinted specification requiring ge 4, line 43, claim 6, after the wordtank, and before correction as follows: la the Qeriod, insert a comma.and the words through which the gaeolim see in paanzgl'grom the tower tothe tank; and that the said Letters Patent shoul be read with correctiontherein that the same may conform to the record of the case in thePatent Ofiice.

Signed and sealed this 25th day of May, A. D. 1926. WM. A. KINNAN,

Actmg C'ommuswmr ,af Patents.

